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The Tempest: Two sides of Caliban

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Actors perform in The Tempest
The Tempest: Two sides of Caliban

SUBJECTS:  Arts, English

YEARS:  7–8, 9–10


The Tempest Act 1.2 (edited) 305–74


Caliban is one of Shakespeare's most fascinating characters.

Half human and the son of a witch, Caliban attacks Prospero's daughter Miranda. However, he is not without a sympathetic side.

In this scene from Act 1.2 of 'The Tempest', with Miranda Tapsell, John Bell and Damien Strouthos of Bell Shakespeare, Caliban's impassioned speech reveals his ill-treatment at the hands of Prospero.

As you watch, consider whether you feel Caliban is a villain or a victim.


Things to think about

  1. 1.In literary studies, postcolonialism is a philosophy that analyses texts in terms of how they represent the relationship between colonising cultures and those they have colonised. 'The Tempest' can be viewed through the lens of postcolonialism because, in part, it tells the story of an outsider, Prospero, who arrives on a remote island, befriends two inhabitants, and then manipulates and enslaves them.
  2. 2.What is Caliban's role in Prospero's household? What words does Prospero use when describing Caliban? What does Prospero do to Caliban when he retaliates? According to Caliban, what happened when Prospero first arrived on the island? What is Prospero's version of these events? Note the details of each story carefully. Why does Caliban eventually submit to Prospero's bidding?
  3. 3.

    What is the basis of Caliban's anger? How does Prospero maintain power over him? Why is Prospero outraged at Caliban's resentment of him? What does this suggest about Prospero's perception of his relationship to Caliban? Explain whether you see Caliban as a villain or a victim.

  4. 4.

    Caliban curses Prospero for teaching him his language but acknowledges its 'profit' is that, in fact, he has the words to curse Prospero. Why do you think colonised peoples might have such a conflicted relationship with the language of their colonisers?


Teachers

Visit Bell Shakespeare's website

Discover programs, workshops and more performances at one of Australia's great theatre companies.

Download a PDF with the full synopsis for each play.

Full plot summaries of Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, and Romeo and Juliet.


Acknowledgements

Created by ABC Splash in collaboration with Bell Shakespeare.


Production Date: 2014

Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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